RECOMMENDATIONS

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  Poppy seed cake with vanilla buttercream icing

  This fabulously rich cake from Rachel Allen is best eaten with lashings of the vanilla buttercream

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  Steamed sponge with dried fruit

  Packed with raisins, glacé cherries and dried cranberries, Simon Rimmer’s sponge makes a great comfort treat covered in lashings of chocolate sauce

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  Whole poached wild salmon

  James Martin's whole salmon makes an impressive centre piece for any celebration

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  Strawberry trifle

  Matt Tebbutt uses fresh English strawberries to make the jelly, but isn’t afraid to cheat with custard powder in his perfect summer trifle

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  Raised pork and bramley apple pie

  Trish Hilferty is the author of Gastropub Classics, published by Absolute Press. e often works at The Eagle in London's Farringdon, which is widely acknowledged as having started the gastropub revolution...

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  Ploughman's lunch with own-made chutney

  Carol Wilson's selection of splendid cheese from North West England is served with delicious, quick-to-make fruit chutney

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  Risotto cakes with courgettes

  Stephen Terry serves courgette risotto cakes with crisp courgette fries and a sprinkling of caerphilly cheese

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  Seafood bruschetta on Irish soda bread

  An unctuous spring onion butter sauce adds a rich dimension to Paul Rankin’s dish – stir in a splash of cream for extra decadence!

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  Fried fish with cou-cou and okra dressing

  Bring a spicy taste of the Caribbean to your table with comforting cornmeal mash and flavoursome fish from Patrick Williams

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  Blue cheese, white grape and red onion tart

  Red, white and blue combine in this impressive homemade tart from Paula Richards